A close friend of a Premier League icon once publicly turned against the footballer, claiming the player broke the "bro code" by dating his ex-girlfriend—an act that made him renounce his lifelong support for his club.
The legendary figure in question is former Arsenal hero Jack Wilshere. During his time with the Gunners, where he won two FA Cups and was named the PFA Young Player of the Year in 2011, Wilshere was adored by the fanbase. His popularity was cemented by his infamous chants about rivals Tottenham Hotspur during a victory parade.
However, not every supporter remained in his corner. One longtime Arsenal fan, Starzi Kyriacou, accused Wilshere of a profound personal betrayal. Kyriacou asserted that after Wilshere ended his long-term relationship with Lauren Neal—the mother of his two children—in 2014, the midfielder began dating Andriani Michael, whom Kyriacou claimed was his own ex-partner.
"I was good friends with him," Kyriacou stated to a newspaper in 2015. "I'm mad at him, my ex and her family. It won't work out between those two." Kyriacou, who owned a fish and chip shop, described himself as a die-hard Arsenal fan but admitted his allegiance had been shattered. "It's not nice supporting a team with someone who my ex is going out with in it. They've got no respect for me so I've got no respect for them."
The friendship between Wilshere and Kyriacou was reportedly formed when the player was a regular at the barber shop owned by Andriani's father. Following Wilshere's split from Lauren Neal, his relationship with Andriani developed, eventually leading to an engagement in 2016 and marriage in 2017. The couple welcomed a daughter in 2018.
Wilshere's playing career, once so promising for both Arsenal and England, was ultimately hindered by persistent injuries. After loan spells and a permanent move to West Ham United, he concluded his playing days in 2022 following a brief period in Denmark.
He has since transitioned into coaching, taking roles with Arsenal's academy and later as a first-team coach at Norwich City. Wilshere now manages League One side Luton Town, forging a new path away from the pitch and the personal controversies of the past.
